A/N: I still do not own Dragon Age or I wouldn't have had to find a new job. ;)

Hello, again! Thanks for sticking with me through this Nanowrimo, everyone! This chapter is much more fleshed out and longer, as I promised. I tried to edit it late last night, but forgive the few mistakes that inevitably slipped through!

I love reading the comments I have been getting about this story and I hope to read many more!

Thank you guys! See you at the end!

Chapter Five

There was something very wrong. Aveline didn't consider herself a very empathetic person, but she knew something strange was going on in Skyhold.

It started simply enough. Josephine kept insisting that Aveline must be present to welcome foreign dignitaries and wine and dine them. This meant that, for about a month, she was cooped up in Skyhold, sending her companions out to have fun while she suffered, pretending to be nobility. That was an unfortunate consequence of her position and she realized very quickly that she was, unfortunately, required to follow it. They were all young, idealistic men who wanted nothing more than to pretend they were fascinated by her work and it sickened her. She could have really been talking about anything and it wouldn't have made a difference. She could have been talking about overthrowing their governments with her very impressive army and she was sure it would go right over their heads. They were more content to ogle her than to actually pay attention to her words.

All this power and her face was still the most important thing.

Then she noticed that she wasn't receiving all of the reports that were supposed to be coming across her desk. She noticed this when she stumbled upon a few copies of them in Cullen's office, simply sitting on the edge of his desk. She nonchalantly asked him if she could read his copies of the reports one day as she had left hers in her room. The Commander seemed happy to oblige as he was becoming quite disconcerted by her constant presence in his office. There was no more of her simply running through to reach a destination and, instead, it seemed that she was purposely spending a few hours of her time with him every day. She was sure it was strange to him that she enjoyed his company, but, his close friendship also meant that she could do things like take the reports from his desk. To her surprise, upon comparing what was coming to Cullen and what made it to her, she noticed that the only thing missing from her reports were marriage proposals from various dignitaries and nobles who felt a marriage to Aveline Trevelyan would mean an alliance with the Inquisition.

It was then that she realized Josephine had been not so subtly trying to marry her off...and someone was stealing her reports…

Aveline wasn't honestly sure which concerned her more. Everyone in my Inquisition was privy to her reports, of course, but to have someone blatantly hiding from her marriage proposals from foreign dignitaries that required a response per normal social etiquette was simply...well, for lack of a better term, it was rude. By not answering, she could offend entire countries! She could make enemies out of people whom, up until someone had started stealing from her, had been allies of the Inquisition. As their leader, and, as a nobleman, she understood why it was such a sought after prospect to marry the leader of the Inquisition. They had the most powerful army in all of Thedas and they were the most powerful peacekeeping force that had ever been seen. It was a calculated move on their part. She couldn't be upset with Josephine for trying to suggest that this might be a good diplomatic move.

Though, diplomatically, she had to confess...she would rather marry a horse.

Even if she was interested in marriage, it was simply not the best choice for the Inquisition. They couldn't afford being tied to political alliances so closely. It would only entangle them in struggles and conflicts that were not their own. Aveline would never put Skyhold at risk in such a way. Nor was she willing to defer Inquisition matters over to someone else simply because they were male and felt they could rule better. It was a ridiculous notion all around to even think of permanently tying them to an alliance with anyone in Thedas. They -the Inquisition- needed to remain as unbiased as possible.

Now, there was still the all important question to be answered: who would want her marriage proposals?!

There were a few people that would be knowledgeable of all of the dealings in Skyhold who would be able to tell her who was stealing. She could simply ask Leliana who had been hiding the marriage proposals from her. But, for some reason, that didn't feel right. So, instead, she decided that she would go to the next best source.

Aveline decided to ask Varric.

She approached him on a whim, really. It hadn't been her intention at all to ask him to go over the details of espionage in the imperial court, but, it happened when she came and sat down at his table in Skyhold's throne room. Varric was thoroughly engrossed when she started to walk past, writing something, his quill paused over a large stack of parchment. Aveline smiled as she approached him, patiently standing behind one of the many chairs at his table. "Is this seat taken?" she jokingly asked, her gloved hand hovering over the sturdy wooden fixture.

Varric looked up from his work, his face surprised, as if he had forgotten that there were many courtiers milling around him. When he saw Aveline, he returned her smile. "For you, Peaches? Never!" He motioned her to sit next to him and he calmly put his parchment into a large leather satchel. "Did you need someone to talk your ear off? I think I can oblige!" Varric Tethras winked at her, as was the way of the Inquisition's resident dwarf. Varric had always struck Aveline as the most welcoming member of the newly formed Inquisition...when she was made their prisoner, at least. He had always treated her as if he knew she hadn't done anything wrong, almost as if she were his best friend before she was ever the leader of the second great Inquisition. And she thoroughly enjoyed that.

"What were you working on?" Aveline asked, motioning to the bundle of parchment. She was hoping it was one of his new stories...and not Hard in Hightown. Varric was a popular author in the Free Marches, but she was never a fan of that particular serial. She told him that she enjoyed it shortly after their first meeting, a way of being polite...and had been gifted with an entire advanced copy of the next chapter. She knew then to never lie to a dwarf. They would always figure you out at some point.

Varric sighed. "A new chapter of Swords and Shields. I think my editor is going to be waiting a long time. I just don't have the motivation to write a romance serial anymore. I must be losing my touch." He smiled at her, devilishly. "Say, Peaches. Why don't you go start romancing one of those princes that keeps asking for your hand? I'm sure that could inspire me to write."

Aveline groaned. "I'm sure it would inspire me to drive a knife into some pampered nobleman." It was then that she realized Varric wasn't one of the inner circle who even read the reports. "How did you know about the proposals? I myself didn't know until two days ago!"

Varric laughed, almost to himself. "Oh, Peaches...when nobles start showing up from every corner of Thedas and you suddenly can't go out and get bloody with the other kids anymore, surely you realized something was amiss." He picked up his glass of mead and took a long drink. "It was either that or everyone in Thedas suddenly decided they wanted your head on a spit. You can see why I was hoping it was the latter."

Aveline felt her lips pull into a pout. Did everyone in Skyhold know about this? Was she the only one too dense to understand? "I take it that everyone knows about this, then?" She was slightly disheartened. She thought she was acting as a diplomat while she had really been being paraded like a showhorse.

Varric had the nerve to actually laugh, though she wasn't sure if it was the look on her face that made him react that way or if it was her naivety. "Calm down, Peaches. I'm sure Ruffles has no intention of marrying you off. She probably only let the proposals come through to you because it was polite for you to be the one responding."

"That's the problem, though, Varric…" she worried at her lips. Maybe she should talk to Josephine. Josephine took care of everything… "I'm the only one who didn't receive these proposals." The dwarf said nothing, rather just let Aveline continue to worry her bottom lip and entangle her fingers in strange ways. "You're as well connected as Leliana is...maybe you would know. Why would someone want to steal my marriage proposals from my reports?"

The dwarf had to stop himself from laughing. Aveline saw it in the way he almost choked on his mead and still came away half laughing. "Peaches...you were raised in a noble house in the Free Marches and you mean to tell me it never occurred to you that one of your suitors had someone doing it?" Aveline tilted her head, confused. She had a admit, that was a thought that had never occurred to her. Seeing the blank stare on her face, Varric sighed, rubbing his temples with his stout hand. "Oh, Peaches…" he murmured, before he collected himself and carried himself like a tutor to her.

"Alright, Peaches. You're missing reports from your chambers, right? But the only thing you're missing is marriage proposals from foreign diplomats and nobles who want the Inquisition army at their disposal. That leads me to two assumptions. One: you have an admirer who stole those proposals because they want you to themselves. Now, the only person I can see doing that is Leliana, so, I'm going to rule that one out. Curly just doesn't have the guts to sneak into your room."

Aveline tried to interrupt and correct him on her relationship with the Commander, but Varric continued over her small cry of indignation. "Two," the dwarf emphasized, holding up his fingers, "One of your suitors knows how valuable a prospect you are. And not just your army. You've got beautiful curves and high cheekbones that would make the Empress of Orlais jealous, Peaches. Anyone who looks at you is taken by you. It's kind of obvious that there isn't just one government that's going to be vying for you."

Aveline felt herself blush. Varric didn't pull punches, just said things very bluntly. It made him a good advisor, quite frankly. She turned her head to try and hide the red creeping up her face, embarrassed by the compliment. "Then what do you do, if you're one of these governments?"

Varric shrugged. "Easiest way I see it is you cut out the competition. You send in the spies and make sure that only your proposal gets through to the Inquisitor's desk. And you make it the best looking one of the bunch, just in case your plan goes wrong. It's simplistic and it's old as time."

Aveline was concerned by this. Spies in Skyhold...and, to make matters worse, it had to be someone they trusted or they wouldn't so easily be able to get into her quarters. Not without someone noticing. She would have to speak with Leliana and see if she could offer more insight...and she would speak with the Commander about guard patrols. She couldn't quite take this matter lightly, though she supposed Varric was right. This happened all the time in a court. The one thing she didn't want the Inquisition to become, it had become.

Varric put a hand on her shoulder. "Come on, Peaches. It's nothing to worry about. I'll ask Nightingale to look into it for you, if you're that worried." The dwarf seemed to magically make a deck of cards materialize. "How about a games of Wicked Grace?"

It was late when she was summoned to the Commander's office. Cullen worked well into the night on the best of occasions, so, Aveline was not surprised to receive his missive. She had been going to simply place the sealed note on her desk until the morning, but she had a strange feeling it was important if he were calling for messengers. The contents of the note were a shock. Cullen requested an audience with her.

At her earliest convenience.

Cassandra had made mentions that Cullen had been considering stepping down from his post. Cassandra had said she would never allow it. But, for Cullen to request an audience with Aveline directly, as much as he seemed flustered by her presence, was unheard of. She pulled on her clothing as quickly as possible only because she felt showing up to the Commander's tower in her night gown might make people talk.

She tried to breathe. Perhaps he had been able to discuss the issue of spies within the Inquisition with Leliana and they had a report ready. That would explain the hour. The less people around to see their meeting, the less people would be able to grow suspicious. That must be it. It was nothing to worry over. Everything would be fine. Except, perhaps, she might find out who was going through her things.

Aveline was wrapped in a large cloak that she was tripping over as she rushed to the tower. Her heart was pounding as reached for the handle on the giant door…

Only to discover Dorian practically yelling at Cullen. "You're very dense if you don't understand the gravity of this, Commander. Not all of us are quite as dense as you pretend to be."

Cullen seemed angry and was clenching his fist at his side. "Tevinter, I don't see how it's any of your business at all." It was a terse statement, and, honestly, Aveline was sure that she had walked into a conversation that she wasn't supposed to be aware of. Aveline furrowed her brow. She wasn't sure if she should be announcing herself or if she should wait.

Aveline cleared her throat, pulling the cloak tighter around her. She was suddenly wishing she could simply disappear into it. "Am I interrupting?"

Dorian turned on his heel. "No, my darling. I was just leaving." Dorian clapped her on the shoulder on his way out. His face was twisted into an expression of exasperation. When the door slammed, Aveline turned her attention to Cullen week was still clenching his fists.

Aveline approached his desk, trying to figure out what Cullen could possibly be so wound up about. What had Dorian said? Of course, with Dorian, he could have said anything and Cullen would have been offended. Cullen and the Tevinter mage clashed over every topic of conversation the two seemed to come up with. Aveline had the distinct impression that the two of them would never get along, as much as she enjoyed the company of both of them. "Is everything alright, Commander?" Aveline looked at the desk to see if she could get a preview of what the Commander was going to tell her. Having the warning would make her feel better, but, she saw nothing. A wooden box on the corner and well organized chaos.

Cullen sighed. He ran a nervous hand through his hair. "As leader of the Inquisition, you…" Cullen sighed, once more. "There's something I must tell you."

Aveline felt her lips pull into a pout. Her face was finally mirroring the worry she felt instead of the normal, cool, collected expression she wore. In the Circle, she had been taught how to suppress her emotions. For some reason, she felt truly pulled toward this situation. "Whatever it is, I'm willing to listen." She pursed her lips.

Cullen nodded, smiling, slightly. "Right. Thank you." Cullen walked behind his desk and opened up the wooden box which Aveline now saw was one of the religious cases that she had seen the Templars carry in the Circle. Aveline looked over the lid and saw the vial or raw lyrium along with its various paraphernalia. She knew all Templars needed lyrium, she just hadn't ever actually been this close to it. Lyrium was dangerous because of how it enhanced a mage's powers. It could kill anyone if they ingested too much of it. Especially anyone who didn't have magical ability. "Lyrium grants Templars our abilities. It controls us as well." Cullen ran his hand over the items in a box. "Those cut off suffer. Some go mad, others die. We have secured a reliable source for the Templars here. But, I...am no longer taking it."

Aveline was surprised by this. Cullen was no longer taking lyrium? It granted him abilities to neutralize magic and fight through massive amounts of pain...but he had stopped. "You stopped?" She repeated the obvious disclosure over. She couldn't quite grasp what she was hearing. And, a part of her felt angry. Not taking the lyrium could kill him.

Cullen nodded. "When I joined the Inquisition." The Commander closed the box, a note of finality in it. "It's been months now."

Aveline reached out, as if to touch him. But she quickly withdrew her hand, realizing that the sentiment was inappropriate. "Cullen, if this can kill you…"

Cullen smiled, shaking his head. "It hasn't yet." He began pacing around the room. "After what happened in Kirkwall, I couldn't. I will not a bound to the Order, or that life, any longer." Cullen clasped his hands together. "Whatever the suffering, I accept it. But, I will not put the Inquisition at risk. I have asked Cassandra to watch me." His tone became dark and serious. "If my ability to lead is compromised, I will be relieved from duty."

Aveline lowered her gaze to the floor. "Oh," she said, softly. She hoped it wasn't audible. When she looked back at the Commander, he could see the pain in her eyes, fear, worry...so many emotions were etched into her deep blue eyes. "Are you in pain?"

Cullen wanted to say "no" simply a make the pitying look on her face go away. He nodded to her respectfully. "I can endure it."

Aveline smiled in a gentle manner. She reached out and touched his shoulder. "Thank you for telling me this, Cullen. I respect what you're doing."

Cullen looked at her hand on his shoulder. He lightly brushed his fingers across the back of her hand. "Thank you, Inquisitor." Aveline felt her heart flutter and she recoiled, clasping her hands together again. Cullen cleared his throat, taking a step back. "The Inquisition army must always take priority. Should anything happen...I will defer to Cassandra's judgement."

Aveline nodded. Once more, Aveline gave him a stunning smile, as if they had not just discussed that he could potentially be killing himself by making this decision. "I will trust Cassandra's judgement."

For a long moment, the pair stood in silence. Aveline wasn't sure what else to say, and she knew Cullen was a man of...very few words. Finally Aveline lowered her gaze and turned on her toes. "Have a good evening, Commander." She smiled. "If you need anything…" Cullen nodded, understanding clear.

Cullen watched Aveline as she gathered her cloak up and rushed from the tower. He hated that look on her face, the pitying emotion he saw there. Maybe, it would have been best if he hadn't told her. But, this way, she could make her own assumptions. This way, she could reject him quite easily on her own without his ever having to confess the feelings he was developing for her. He had rid himself of two problems at once, he supposed. Even if he felt disappointed to know her smiling face would never come bursting through the door to his tower again "just for the company".

Cullen sighed and slumped into his chair. Maker's breath. What had he done?

A/NN: I hope you guys liked it! Reviews get quotes from the next chapter from yours truly! I love reading your opinions!